Not sure what her father actually does as a "contract negotiator" in Atlanta but the first thing he probably learned is to read the terms and conditions before you sign a contract, not afterwards.

Agree about talking to the daughter to resolve. I would inform her it's natural to get a little cold feet as the wedding nears. Remind her that she will likely have a wedding once in her lifetime while you've been shooting weddings for years. No one can predict weddings snafu's but most of the time the flowers all arrive fresh, gowns & tuxes fit, food is hot and tasty. And your photo's will provide a lifetime of memories.

All you need to tell him is that you are not paid based on whether or not the father of your client (or anyone for that matter) likes the images. You are paid for the work and service you are providing. There are clauses to protect him if you do not provide that service.

Tell him that due to his threat, you will accept a check only for this transaction. Make sure to tell the bride ahead of time and CC him. Most likely she's dealt with him and crap like this before.

I have no idea what a contract negotiator really is and like you said, it's best to challenge a contract before ink is on the paper. I agree Tony, final payment has to be in the form of a check or I am just asking for trouble from this guy. I really want to shoot the wedding, it's a gorgeous location that I have shot at before but it's just not worth it if I am going to be dealing with this issue for weeks after all the work is complete.

I wouldnt Email the bride, I would call- this issue deserves that level of attention and communication. Simply explain the father has threatened to do a charge-back and you do not feel comfortable shooting the wedding at this point in time unless it is cash or check. If they write you a check, take it to THEIR BANK, and cash it, then deposit the cash into your account- that way they cant cancel the check either.

Daboyle wrote:
I wouldnt Email the bride, I would call- this issue deserves that level of attention and communication. Simply explain the father has threatened to do a charge-back and you do not feel comfortable shooting the wedding at this point in time unless it is cash or check. If they write you a check, take it to THEIR BANK, and cash it, then deposit the cash into your account- that way they cant cancel the check either.

I think it pays to be the bigger person. Instead of rising to threats it might be better to calmly diffuse the situation and find out exactly what is troubling him. I would imagine it is not the charge or quality issues but probably something to do with trust which could amicably be alleviated. This is a trust situation, and it is our responsibility to earn trust - seems like a great opportunity.

p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Phone call from father of bride about final payment

TTLKurtis wrote:
Oh c'mon Todd. Some people are unreasonable and they can just plain suck it.

That's a fine stance to take. As far as I see it defensiveness and fear aren't great ways to earn trust and respect, which is essentially all we're selling prior to the event. I refuse to be afraid of my clients (or anyone else's). I've made a career out of turning situations like this into happy clients and incredibly lucrative referrals.

What the client is complaining about is almost never the root problem. If you divert from the complaint to trying to solve the root problem you earn respect and a cheerleader for life.

p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · Phone call from father of bride about final payment

I emailed the bride last night and used a lot of the replies on here to correctly word my email and I received this emails 20 minutes later:

Hey Chris,

I know it's super late on the east coast but if you're up (i get the feeling you're a night owl) and want to chat, give me a call on my cell xxx-xxx-xxxx.

I'd really like to apologize over the phone for my father and ease your mind. Seth and I signed a contract with you, not my dad, and we will make good on it. We are so excited about working with you and really hope that this conversation you had today won't negatively skew your opinion of us or the beautiful wedding we are so excited about sharing with our family and friends.

Give me a call tonight or anytime tomorrow.

Warmly,
Lauren

So I feel that this situation is currently resolved. I explained to her that the final payment is due in the form of certified funds and a credit card for her final payment cannot be accepted. If anything else comes up over this I will let you guys know. Thanks for the great advice and counterpoints. Have a great weekend everyone!

p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · Phone call from father of bride about final payment

This debate has me curious, if I normally accept credit cards as a form of payment can I simply require a customer pay me by another means if I so choose? What if my contract doesn't specify the manner in which the payments can be made?

Sounds like that's a gray area to me, I'd be interested if anyone knows the answer even though it probably varies from state to state.

p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · Phone call from father of bride about final payment

EMAIL the bride so you have a complete record of everything that happens. I've had two dicey clients in my career and when things get dicey, I'll only email and I'll tell them as such so that I have records.

But definitely contact the bride and let her know the score and politely but firmly stand up for yourself. Do not deal with the father at all. The bride is your contracted person. The father sounds like a bully. BTW, I have a check only policy.